The Detroit Red Wings would like to welcome the Anaheim Ducks and the visiting media to tonight's game. If you need any assistance, please find a member of our Public Relations staff located in seats 36 and 37 of the press box or contact:DetroitJohn Hahn, 313-732-7433Todd Beam, 586-206-9293Lisa Hickok, 313-657-0610

The Detroit Red Wings and the Anaheim Ducks will face-off tonight to begin the fifth postseason meeting between the two clubs. Detroit holds a 2-2 all-time playoff series record against the Ducks:

1997 Western Conference SemifinalsDetroit won series 4-0

1999 Western Conference QuarterfinalsDetroit won series 4-0

2003 Western Conference QuarterfinalsAnaheim won series 4-0

2007 Western Conference FinalAnaheim won series 4-2

2008-09 Season Series

The Detroit Red Wings and the Anaheim Ducks squared-off four times during the 2008-09 regular season. Detroit finished with a 3-0-1 record against Anaheim in the season series, including 2-0-0 in games played at Joe Louis Arena.

Detroit's PP went 5-20 (25%) against the Ducks this season.

Detroit's PK killed off 13-18 Ducks power-plays (72.2%) this season.

Detroit scored 15 goals against the Ducks this season (3.75 avg. per game).

Detroit allowed 11 goals against the Ducks this season (2.75 avg. per game).

Detroit fired 152 shots on Anaheim goaltenders this season (38.0 avg. per game).

Detroit gave up 104 shots on goal to the Ducks this season (26.0 avg. per game).

Detroit held a 127-111 edge in face-off vs the Ducks this season (53.4%).

Detroit F Pavel Datsyuk had seven points (3-4--7) in four games played against the Ducks this season.

Detroit F Henrik Zetterberg had six points (3-3--6) in four games played against the Ducks this season.

Detroit F Dan Cleary had five points (2-3--5) in four games played against the Ducks this season.

Detroit D Nicklas Lidstrom had four points (0-4--4) in four games played against the Ducks this season.

Detroit D Niklas Kronwall had four points (0-4--4) in four games played against the Ducks this season.

Detroit G Chris Osgood posted a 2-0-1 record with a 2.97 GAA in three games played against the Ducks this season.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Like any good champion, the Detroit Red Wings don't like to lose -- not even once. The defending Stanley Cup champions couldn't hold 3-1 and 5-3 leads against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night in Game 4 of their Western Conference Quarterfinal series. But after the sellout crowd of 18,889 at Nationwide Arena spent the third period standing and roaring, Johan Franzen's power-play goal with 46.6 seconds left in regulation quieted the Jackets and their fans while giving the Wings a series-clinching 6-5 win. A loss wouldn't have hurt the Wings much -- they'd likely have won Game 5 back in Detroit on Saturday. But this win sent a message to their playoff challengers -- the Wings aren't going to give up the Cup easily. Detroit coach Mike Babcock traditionally talks with great pride about the poise and composure within his group. This was one more example. "I can't remember when we've played like that, quite honestly," Babcock said after the Wings became the first defending Cup champion since 2002 to win its first-round series the following spring. "We had the game in a good situation twice and you have to give them a lot of credit, they showed a ton of heart tonight and their fans were fantastic." It looked like the Wings would cruise after Marian Hossa scored a pair of goals in the second period to give Detroit a 5-3 lead. Instead, the Blue Jackets found an intensity level they hadn't shown previously and tied the game before intermission on goals by Kris Russell and Fredrik Modin. So what did Babcock tell his guys during intermission following that uncharacteristic meltdown? "He told us to keep our composure and stay poised with the puck and that's something that's contagious because if one guy does it, then the rest of the guys follow," Franzen said. With 20 minutes standing between them and a trip to the second round, the Wings drew on the same composure they exhibited last spring, when they won the 11th Stanley Cup in team history and their fourth in 11 seasons. They were cool, calm and efficient. "I said to the team after the second period that if I would have told you it was 0-0 going into the third, you would probably say 'OK, now we just have to find a way," Babcock said. "That's the attitude we took." The Red Wings held advantages in shots (15-11) and hits (19-16) in the final period and when presented with a golden opportunity to close out the series when given a power-play with just 1:34 remaining, they did just that. Detroit, which led the League in power-play percentage during the regular season, received its sixth advantage of the night when the Blue Jackets were called for having too many men on the ice after one of their players coming off the bench on a line change touched the puck before the man he was replacing hit the bench. Given the chance to put the game away, Franzen stuffed a loose puck into the net after Steve Mason stopped a shot by Jiri Hudler for the game-winner -- his eighth in less than four full playoff years. Three of the eight have been series-winners. Franzen was one of five Wings who scored in Game 4. For the series, 11 players scored at least once. Championship depth? You bet. "They play the game the right way and, for a skill team, they get their noses dirty," Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock said. "They were going for the throat and when you're a championship team, you got to close. They're not just good players; they are good players who are well-coached. They are going to have their troubles, but if it isn't one line, it's another. That's what happens when you are a deep hockey club and you're competing." In contrast, though the playoff-novice Blue Jackets proved their mettle in Game 4 and provided their fans with a memory to take home for the summer, they paid the price for a sloppy change -- the kind of mistake the Wings almost never make. "After the second, we knew we had to keep our composure; we got a little rattled with the way they scored two quick goals to tie the game up twice," Wings captain and Norris Trophy nominee Nicklas Lidstrom said. "We settled down again as a group and kept our composure going out into the third period and just waited for our opportunities. Luckily, we got that power play late in the game." Hossa, who scored his first two goals of the series, is realizing just how special a group this team has become. The 11-year NHL veteran signed a one-year deal with Detroit last July after skating against Wings in the Stanley Cup Final last spring as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. "Whenever things get hot on the bench or on the ice, this team never panics," he said. "Maybe some other teams would be running around on the ice after allowing a team to come back from two goals down two times, but this team plays a good positioning game and it showed again tonight."

2008-09 DETROIT RED WINGS REGULAR SEASON REVIEW AND PLAYOFFS MEDIA GUIDEThe Detroit Red Wings 2008-09 Regular Season Review and Playoffs Media Guide can be found on-line at 'The Portal' at nhl.com or media.nhl.com.

A WINNING TRADITION IN HOCKEYTOWN

Since the beginning of the 1996-97 season, the Detroit Red Wings have won more games (627) than any other franchise in the National Hockey League. Detroit's 544 regular season wins and 83 playoff victories are both tops in the NHL over the past 11+ seasons.

Wings Are Kings Of Central - The Red Wings have won eight consecutive Central Division titles (2001-2009) and 12 out of the last 15. In two of the three seasons the Wings did not win the Central Division, the team went on to win the Stanley Cup (1997 & 1998).

Making A Point - Wings Set NHL Record - Dating back to the 1999-2000 campaign the Red Wings have recorded an NHL record nine consecutive 100-point seasons, eclipsing the old NHL record of eight held by the Montreal Canadiens (1974-75 through 1981-82).

Wings Reach 50-Wins For Fourth Consecutive Season - The Detroit Red Wings topped the 50-win plateau for the fourth consecutive season in 2008-09 (51-21-10, 112 points), and the sixth time in franchise history. In 2005-06, The Red Wings finished 58-16-8 (124 points), in 2006-07 they posted a record of 50-19-13 (113 points) and in 2007-08 Detroit finished with a 54-21-7 record, good for 115 points. This marks only the third time in NHL history that a team has won 50 or more games in four consecutive seasons.

Playoff Streak Hits 18 - The Detroit Red Wings qualified for the postseason for the 18th consecutive season in 2008-09, the longest current streak in professional sports.

Top Four Seed For 17th Consecutive Season - With their victory over the Edmonton Oilers on 3/24, the Red Wings have now quailified as a top-4 seed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for 17 consecutive seasons.

WINGS IN PLAYOFFS FOR 18TH CONSECUTIVE SEASONThe Detroit Red Wings secured a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 18th consecutive season after earning two points in a 4-0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 15th. Eighteen consecutive trips to the postseason represents the longest current streak in professional sports. The San Antonio Spurs of the NBA are second with 11. Detroit's team record for most consecutive playoff appearances is 20, set from 1939-58. The Boston Bruins hold the NHL record of 29 straight seasons (1968-96).Consecutive Playoff Appearances (Top streaks in each of the four major professional sports):NHL - Detroit Red Wings (18)NBA - San Antonio Spurs (11)NFL - Indianapolis Colts (7)MLB - Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Angels (2)

WINGS A TOP-4 SEED FOR 17TH CONSECUTIVE SEASONWith a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Mar. 24, the Detroit Red Wings qualified as a top-4 seed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 17th consecutive season.

PLAYOFF ROAD WARRIORSDetroit has now clinched their last eight playoff series wins with victories on the road, including Round One, Game Four at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on 4/23. The last time the Red Wings closed a series with a win at home was Game Five of the 2002 Stanley Cup Final vs. Carolina.

43 AND COUNTING.....The Detroit Red Wings have won 43 conscutive postseason games in which they have scored 4 or more goals, including all four games in Round One against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The last time the Red Wings scored four goals in a playoff game and lost was April 24, 1998 when the Wings dropped a 7-4 decision to the Phoenix Coyotes in Game Two of their First Round series at Joe Louis Arena.

PLAYING WHEN IT COUNTSSince 1991, the Detroit Red Wings have played in more postseason games than any other major professional sports franchise. Below is a look at the leaders in postseason games played since 1991 by teams in the four major pro sports:Most Postseason Games, 1991-present1. Detroit Red Wings - 2252. San Antonio Spurs - 2113. Los Angeles Lakers - 2024. New Jersey Devils - 1975. Colorado Avalanche - 175

2ND'S ANYONE?The Detroit Red Wings have played in the second most postseason games in NHL history. Below are the five teams with the most postseason games played:1. Montreal - 6822. Detroit - 5433. Toronto - 5244. Boston - 5225. Chicago - 414

The Detroit Red Wings have won the second most playoff games in NHL History. Below are the five teams with the most postseason victories:1. Montreal - 3982. Detroit - 2893. Toronto - 2514. Boston - 2485. Chicago - 192

The Detroit Red Wings have won the second most playoff series in NHL history. Below are the five teams with the most postseason series victories:1. Montreal - 882. Detroit - 633. Toronto - 584. Boston - 485. New York Rangers - 44

WINGS VS. DUCKS IN THE FACE-OFF CIRCLEThe Detroit Red Wings led the National Hockey League in team face-off percentage this season at 55.1%. All six of Detroit's main men on the draw won at least 52.1% of their face-offs taken this season:

Draper - 60.3% (603W-397L)

Datsyuk - 56.0% (636W-499L)

Franzen - 56.0% (135W-106L)

Cleary - 55.4% (67W-54L)

Zetterberg - 53.3% (634W-555L)

Filppula - 52.1% (409W-376L)

Below is a look at how Detroit's top six fared in the face-off circle against the Ducks through the four games of the 2008-09 season series:

2008-09 WINGS AWARD NOMINEESThe following Red Wings were recently named finalists for various NHL awards recognizing their oustanding 2008-09 seasons. The NHL Awards show takes place at the Pearl Concert Theater inside the Palms Hotel Las Vegas on June 18.

Pavel Datsyuk - Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP)(Other finalists: Evgeni Malkin, PIT and Alexander Ovechkin, WSH)This marks the first time in Datsyuk's career he has been voted a Hart Trophy finalist. Datsyuk finished fourth in league scoring with 97 points, matching his career-high. He found the back of the net a career-high 32 times this season. Datsyuk ranked second among NHL players in takeaways with 89, placed third in plus-minus with a +34 rating and won 56% of the 1,135 face-offs he took in 2008-09.

Pavel Datsyuk - Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward)(Other finalists: Mike Richards, PHI and Ryan Kesler, VAN)Datsyuk is a Selke finalist for the second consecutive season. He captured the award last season becoming just the fourth forward in Red Wings history to take home the trophy (Draper-2004, Yzerman-2000, Fedorov-1994/1996).

Pavel Datsyuk - Lady Byng Trophy (Skill/Sportsmanship)(Other finalists: Zach Parise, NJ and Martin St. Louis, TB)Pavel is looking to become just the second player in league history to capture the Lady Byng Trophy in four consecutive seasons. He has taken home the award from 2006 through 2008. Hall of Fame forward Frank Boucher is the only other player to accomplish the feat from 1928-31 with the New York Rangers. Datsyuk was whislted for just 11 minor penalties totaling 22 minutes in 2008-09.

Nicklas Lidstrom - Norris Trophy (Best Defenseman)(Other finalists: Zdeno Chara, BOS and Mike Green, WSH)Lidstrom is a Norris Trophy finalist for the 10th time in the past 11 seasons. He has captured the award six times in his career, including the past three years consecutively. Lidstrom ranked third among NHL defensemen in scoring with 59 points (16-43--59) and tied a career-high with 10 power-play goals. He led the Red Wings in average ice time per game (24:49) and finished seventh overall in plus-minus with a +31 rating, marking the 17th time in 17 NHL season he finished as a 'plus' player.

Chris Chelios - Masterton Trophy (Perseverance, Sportsmanship and Dedication to Hockey)(Other finalists: Steve Sullivan, NSH and Richard Zednik, FLA)Chris Chelios' dedication to the game has extended his career to a length attained by few in hockey history. His 1,644 games played are the most among active players and rank fourth in League history. Chelios, Gordie Howe and Mark Messier are the only men to have played in 25 NHL seasons. At 47, he's the oldest player in the NHL. His experience and will to win have enabled him to remain a vital contributor even as his ice time has diminished in Detroit.

FARM REPORT: GRIFFINS SKATE INTO MANITOBA FOR ROUND TWOThe Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit's American Hockey League affilitate, defeated the Hamilton Bulldogs in the first round of the 2009 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs, 4 games to 2. The Griffins will move on to face the Manitoba Moose in the second round, North Division Finals. Game One is tonight in Manitoba:Game 1 Fri., May 1 Grand Rapids at Manitoba, 8:30pmGame 2 Sat., May 2 Grand Rapids at Manitoba, 8:30pmGame 3 Mon., May 4 Manitoba at Grand Rapids, 7:00pmGame 4 Wed., May 6 Manitoba at Grand Rapids, 7:00pm*Game 5 Fri., May 8 Manitoba at Grand Rapids, 7:00pm*Game 6 Sun., May 10 Grand Rapids at Manitoba, 8:30pm*Game 7 Tue., May 12 Grand Rapids at Manitoba, 8:30pm*If necessaryAll times Eastern

HEAD COACH MIKE BABCOCKBest Since 2003Since his first year as an NHL head coach in 2003, Mike Babcock has more postseason games coached, more postseason wins and a better postseason winning percentage than any other head coach in the National Hockey League. In 71 postseason games with Detroit and Anaheim, he has compiled a record of 47-24 (.662). Below is a look at the top five NHL head coaches in terms of postseason winning percentage since 2003:Coach Games W-L PCTMike Babcock 71 47-24 (.662)Randy Carlyle 49 31-18 (.633)Michel Therrien 25 15-10 (.600)Lindy Ruff 34 20-14 (.588)Pat Burns 29 17-12 (.586)

Recorded more points in four games of the first round vs Columbus (2-3--5) than he did in 22 games during Detroit's 2008 Stanley Cup championship run.

Recored a team high three points (1-2--3) and finished +3 in Game Three at CBJ.

One of just two Red Wings players to successfully convert a postseason penalty shot in team history. Cleary scored against Miikka Kiprusoff in Game 5 of the 2007 Western Conference Quarterfinals (4/21/07) vs Calgary. Petr Klima is the only other Red Wings player to score on a postseason penalty shot. He beat Toronto's Allan Bester on 4/9/88 at Maple Leaf Gardens. Cleary is the only Red Wings player to notch a penalty shot goal at home in Detroit during postseason play.

Pavel Datsyuk's lone career hat trick came during Game 3 of the 2008 Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars. Pavel beat Stars goaltender Marty Turco three times to lead the Wings to a 5-2 win at American Airlines Arena. Despite scoring two goals in a game 19 times during his career, Pavel has never recorded a regular season hat trick in the NHL.